Grenade.



L. ROLAND. GRENADE.

APPLICATION FILED 1921 1225, 1913.

Patented Feb. 2, 1915.

Z01," in 666 66 075 Zorneya.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIE LEON ROLAND, 0F LIEGE, BELGIUM.

GRENADE.

To all tuhom it may concern:

Be 1 t known that I, LiioN ROLAND, captam, a citizen of Belgium, and resident of Liege, in the Kingdom of Belgium, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in or Relating to Grenades; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which itappertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to letters or figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

The present invention has for its object a mechanical percussion grenade which can either be thrown by hand, from a sling or by means of a catapult, or by means of a gun or of a grenade projecting machine and which can be utilized instead of torpedoes, fougades or mines, and be thrown from airships or aeroplanes.

The grenade forming the object of the present invention, is characterized by the special combination of the safety devices operating in succession and afiording the maximum security in the manipulation of the grenade which is compatible with the conditions in which appliances of this kind are employed. These successive safety devices are arranged in the following manner; the striker-intended to fire the priming is retained in its cocked position by a movable lever, this lever is itself retained in this position by a bolt of special form. When this bolt is released from the lever in order to use the grenade, the movable lever prevents the striker from acting, because it is first of all retained owing to its special form by the hand of-the person who manipulates the grenade, and when he has released it, by a safety catch. This catch is only disengaged from the lever, and releases it at the will of the operator, who has merely to exert traction upon a cord fixed to the'cat'ch.

The invention is illustrated as applied to a grenade to be fired from a gun in the accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 is an external elevation of the grenade. Fig. 2 is a section on the diametral plane AB in the position in which the bolt is retaining the movable lever. Fig. 3 is a partial section onthe same plane representing the position of the movable lever in which it is merely retained by the safety Patented Feb. 2, 1915.

Seriil N0. 791,880.

catch, the bolt being disengaged. Fig. 4 is a front elevation showing the form of the movable lever. Fig. 5 represents the bolt. Fig. 6 shows the safety catch, and Fig. 7 is an underside plan view of the part carrying 'the fuse.which transmits the flame to the charge.

The body of the grenade 1 is constituted by a hollow sphere the bursting of which is facilitated by the provision of the channels 2. The explosive charge occupies the hollow space 3 of this sphere.

The explosion of the internal charge is produced by a detonator housed in the tube 1, fixed in a screw 5 carrying the fuse and presenting at 6 a circular hole for the passage of the detonator. This screw 5 (see Fig. 7 presents an annular groove 7 the hole 6 already referred to which is eccentrically placed, a central hole 8 and an opening 9 in the inner wall of the groove 7. The screw is tapped in the hole 8 and threaded externally in such a manner as to screw into the body of the grenade. Inside the tapped portion 8, a screw 10 carrying the priming is mounted and includes a housing 11 for the priming and has a hole 12 adapted to register with the hole 9 in the screw, whereby the opening 12 is placed in communication with the groove 7. A fuse for transmitting the flame from the priming to the detonator passes through the holes 12 and 9 and occupies the grooves 7 and is connected at 4 with the detonator. The body of the grenade 1 carries diametrically opposite to the screw 10, a screw 13 having a-channel in which the tube 34.- is frictionally fitted to serve as a guide forthe striker 14. The tube 34 is similarly fixed to the screw 5. The striker 1 1 has a shoulder 15 which serves as a support for a spiralspring 16 which also bears upon the screw 13. This striker is circular in section, and has a groove 17 therein. A movable lever 18 is housed in a corresponding slot in the sphere 1. At one of its extremities a fork 19 is provided which embraces the striker on a level with its groove 17, and retains it in cocked position. A housing of appropriate form is provided at the upper part of the screw 13 to receive the extremity 19 of the movable lever 18. The inner wall 37 of the fork of lever 18 is shaped in such a manner as to permit the disengagement of the striker 14-when the movable lever on being released at its opp'osite end pivots around its point of support upon the screw 13 under the influence of the spring 16 of the striker. The movable lever 18 has its free end beveled on its outer face as shown at 20 which beveled portion terminates at its inner end in a vertical wall 38.

A bolt 21 pivoted "around the screw 22 fixed to the sphere is able to rotate through an angle of 90, its displacement being limited in any convenient manner for example by means of a lug fixed to the sphere and supported in a groove 35 in the bolt. The bolt 21 occupies a corresponding housing 21 in the sphere. It is circular, but presents a fiat face 39. \Vhenit occupies the position represented in Figs. 1 and 2 itongages the beveled end 20 of the movable lever. lVhen it occupies the position shown in Fig. 3, it is disengaged from this movable. lever. The bolt is operated by means of a knob 23. 4

\Vhen the parts are in the position shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the portion of the bolt. 21 which is near the knob 23 covers the plane 20 of the lever'18 and holds this lever in closed position. When the bolt '21 has been rotated through an angle of 90. degrees by means of-the knob 23, that is to say. when the bolt is in the position shown in Fig. ,3, the cut-away portion 39 is positioned from the beveled-portion 20 of the lever 18 and thus releases said lever. The striker 14 which is actuated by the spring 16 and which has its head engaged in the fork 19 of lever 18, causes said lever to rotate about the point 40 of the screw 13 until it is locked -again by the safety catch 26. When the "catch 26 is later removed from the grenade,

the lever 18, actuated by the spring 16, continues to rotate about the point 40 until the head of the striker.14 slips from under the fork 19. To facilitate this disengagement of the striker, the fork. 19 of the lever is provided with a cone-shaped face 37 on its inner wall.

It is-advantageous to increase the friction of this bolt in its mounting in such a manner as to prevent it from rotating inopportunely for example by interposing a fla't spring between the lower face of the bolt and the bottom of thecavity 24.

The movable lever comprises two notches 25 for the reception of the safetv catch 26. This catch presents the form illustrated in Fig. 6. Thetwo extremities 27 of this catch enter two holes formed in two studs 28 on the sphere 1. It is formedof steel wire so that it becomes defo med under the influence of a certain eflort exerted upon its loop 29. Finall v,.a screwplug 30 is screwed onto the priming carrier 10 extending bejvond the screw 5 and closes the grenade at its lower .part. is f-prpvided w;1th vents 31 for. the passage of the airneee'ssaryfor the combustion of the fuse. The screw plug 30 carries a tube 3'2 servin to fit the grenade upon a rod for firing it from a gun.

A charging screw. 36 is housed in a mortise in the slot' serving for the reception of the movable lever, and at the same time enables the screw 13 to be keyed in position.

In order to use the grenade, the striker being cocked, the bolt locking the movable lever, and the catch being in position, the

holt 21 is rotated through 90. thereby releasing the movable lever 18. This lever is actuated by the spring of the striker by the intermediarv of its fork 19 and rotates the catch suiiic ent traction to deform it. and d sengages it from the notches 25. The movab e lever being released below. pivots around its point of. sup ort. and releases the striker 14. wh ch under the influenc of its s ring 16 gn tes the p im ng. The primin fi es the fuse wh ch in turn causes the ex los on of the detonator and of the in n l c e.

Tt is ad ant geous to ma e the co d of sui cient len to p e ent t e Fall of the striker from tak ng place until th grenade is at a ce ta n distance from the,one ator. The length of the fuse is determined in advance in accordance w th the use to which the grenade is to he put in such a m nner as to p od ce its exp osion at a favorab e p nt in its traiectorv .or on the ground. The form and d mens ons of the g enade aresuch that when'being manipulated. the operators hand maintains the mo able lever in its housing even when the bolt 21 is rotated in such amanner as to release the extremitv 20 of the lever. v i i It will be noted that perfect securitv is afiorded in using a'readv-prepared grenade, this be ng d e to he successi act on of the following safetv devices: 1. The bolt wh ch acts up to the moment of actual use. 2. The hand-of the operator acting until the momentv at which the grenade is placed in the gun. or thrown by hand. 3. The catch locking the movable lever until the cord attached thereto is tautand exerts an adequate efiort.

The grenade comprising a. mortise screw 13, a striker 14, 11 spring-16, a tube 34. its screw 5 carrying the fuse and the tube 4 fi b n h s c ar b un re in taut and at a c'ertain'moment. exe ts upon. a

introduced into the tube 4 and the body of- 5 a distance through the char 'n plu 36 throu h the tapped hole in w hi h the sphere is lled with the explosive utilized. The chargin screw 36 is again arranged in position an by means of arod the striker is cocked. The lever 18 is arranged in place and locked by the bolt 21 and by the catch 26. The screw 10 carrying the priming is then placed in position with its priming and the extremity of the fuse is then introduced into the screw -10 through the holes 9 and 12. After this operation has been effected a very slight rotation of the screw carrying the priming, wedges the fuse in these two holes and re vents it from becoming detached as a result of unintentional or inopportune tractional efforts. The second end of the fuse is then the fuse is lodged in the groove 7; .this extremity carries a detonator. Finally the screw plug is fixedt During all these operations absolute safety in manipulation is obtained because independently of the safety devices acting upon the mor ablelever, even if the priming becomes ignited the explosion cannot be produced until the moment at which the detonator is placed in the tube 4.

Independently of its use as a grenade fired from a. gun or thrown by hand, the grenade forming the object of the present invention can also be used as a mine by placin it in the appropriate position with the %olt disengaged; by then exerting traction from the cord fixed to the .has

safety catch the explode.

Claims.

1. In a mechanical grenade can be caused to percussion grenade, the combination of a striker, of a spring actuating said striker, of a lever arranged upon the periphery of the grenade and provided at one end with a fork engaging the striker, of a bolt retaining the lever at its otherend, of a safety catch pivoted on the body of the grenade and limlting the rotation of the lever when said bolt has been disengaged, and of a catch from the grenade for permitting said lever to rotate and release the striker.

2. In a, mechanical percussion grenade the combination of a striker, of a spring actuating said striker, of a lever arranged upon the periphery of the grenade at the oint where the grenade is held in hand, said lever being provided at one end with a fork engaging the striker, of a bolt retaining the lever at its other end, of a safety catch pivoted on the body of the grenade and limiting the rotation of the lever when said bolt been disengaged, and of a cord for removing the catch from the grenade for per.- mitting said lever to rotate and release the striker.

In testimony whereof I aflix my'signature in presence of two witnesses.

LEON ROLAND. Witnesses:

LEONARD 'LEVA, Gnoaens VAN DER HAEGHEN. I

cord for removing the 

